National Security May Be ACES in Senate Debate

Passing the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Legislation

Aug 31, 2009

The US Senate is scheduled to vote on ACES this Fall. To help push the legislation, some Senators are emphasizing the importance of climate change to national security.

The United States plays a critical role in setting the tone and trends in global climate change policy. Consequently, before world leaders assemble this December in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss climate change policy US President Barack Obama would like to see domestic legislation setting targets for greenhouse emission reduction passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.[i] The American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act of 2009 successfully passed in the House on June 26, 2009, though only by a narrow margin[ii]. ACES has now entered the Senate for debate; the vote is set to take place this fall.

Arguing for the Link Between Security and Climate Change

Recently, supporters of the legislation in the Senate have argued the importance of climate change to national and global security. In late July the Committee on Senate Foreign Relations held hearings on climate change and global security.[iii] Several experts were called upon to testify as to the validity of the link between the two; the testimonies supported the linkage, for example noting that food and resource shortages resulting from climate change can lead to an increased number of conflicts between nations. As a result, more global conflicts could increase demands on US humanitarian efforts and military operations, as well as jeopardize US national security.

Senator John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has taken the lead in the Senate to pass ACES.[iv] Mr. Kerry has spoken with 30 undecided Senators regarding the matter. However, because many of the undecided votes come from coal and manufacturing states, as well as from South and Southeast states that would experience the sharpest increases in energy costs under this legislation, it remains uncertain whether bill will successfully be passed into law.[v] Moreover, experts speculate that given the Obama Administration’s current emphasis on health care reform, a particularly difficult and controversial issue in American domestic policy, Congress is unlikely to approve ACES by the end of 2009.[vi]

Implications of ACES

ACES is the first legislation that sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions to pass in either chamber of Congress.[vii] Though there are many components to the legislation, the primary drivers are a cap-and-trade program for carbon emissions and an economy-wide goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 17% by 2020.[viii] A full copy of ACES (House Resolution 2454) can be found at http://www.opencongress.org/. Within the context of US domestic policy, ACES is notable for two reasons. First, even if the legislation fails in the Senate, its passage in the House of Representative indicates the mounting importance of climate change as a domestic policy issue. House approval of ACES suggests that support among policymakers and US citizens has grown, and will likely continue to grow over the next several years. Second, US domestic policy on climate change tends to weigh heavily on global initiatives addressing the same issue. The sheer size of the US economy means that without significant domestic climate change legislation, the rest of the world may be unable to set a global climate change agenda that is both impactful and timely.

[i] “Obama Faces Uphill Climate-Change Battle.” Forbes.com. August 28, 2009. http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/27/energy-reform-carbon-gas-business-oxford-climate-change.html

[ii] Carey, John. “Dueling Polls on Support for Climate Change Legislation.” BusinessWeek: Money and Politics. August 11, 2009. http://www.businessweek.com/blogs/money_politics/archives/2009/08/dueling_polls_o.html

[iii] Testimony by John F. Kerry, Chairman. “Climate Change and Global Security.” Congressional Quarterly. July 21, 2009. (Obtained through LexisNexis Congressional.)

[iv] Borden, John M. “Climate Change Seen as Threat To Security and Drain on Military.” The New York Times. August 9, 2009. Section A, 1.

[v] Borden, John M. “Climate Change Seen as Threat To Security and Drain on Military.” The New York Times. August 9, 2009. Section A, 1.

[vi] The Council on Foreign Relations. “The Future of U.S. Climate Policy.” Interview with Eileen B. Claussen, President, Pew Center on Global Climate Change. August 12, 2009. http://www.cfr.org/publication/20026/future_of_us_climate_policy.html

[vii] “Obama Faces Uphill Climate-Change Battle.” Forbes.com. August 28, 2009. http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/27/energy-reform-carbon-gas-business-oxford-climate-change.html

[viii] H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy And Security Act of 2009. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2454/show

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